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Where in US do most shark attacks happen?

Check out the number of shark attacks in the Continental United States from the 1800s through 2012, according to the Florida Museum of Natural History.

18. Rhode Island. 1 attack, 0 fatalities

17. Mississippi: 1 attack, 0 fatalities

16. Maine 1 attack, 0 fatalities

15. Louisiana: 1 attack, 0 fatalities

14. Washington state: 2 attacks, 0 fatalities

13. Delaware: 3 attacks, 0 fatalities

12. Massachusetts: 3 attacks, 1 fatality in 1936

11. Virginia: 5 attacks, 1 fatality in 2001

10. Alabama, 7 attacks, 0 fatalities

9. New York: 8 attacks, 0 fatalities

8. Georgia: 12 attacks, 0 fatalities

7. New Jersey: 18 attacks, 6 fatalities, most recent in 1960

6. Oregon, 25 attacks, 0 fatalities

5. Texas: 37 attacks, 2 fatalities, most recent in 1962

4. North Carolina, 47 attacks, 3 fatalities, most recent in 2001

3. South Carolina: 71 attacks, 2 fatalities, most recent in 1852

Horry and Charleston counties tied for the most attacks in SC counties.

2. California: 109 attacks, 10 fatal, most recent in 2012

1. Florida: 663 attacks, 11 fatalities, most recent in 2010

Volusia County, Florida leads the state in attacks, with more than double the number of any other Florida county.

Hawaii had 124 attacks, 9 fatalities, the most recent in August 2013. There were eight attacks in Hawaii in 2013 and 10 in 2012. Hawaii usually sees only three to four attacks each year.

Florida and California lead the country in the number of attacks, likely related to long coastlines with many tourist and recreational areas.

And there were two attacks, neither fatal, in territorial waters.

There were also five attacks in unspecified areas.

Each year, about 100 shark attacks are reported worldwide. In 2011, 17 shark attack fatalities were recorded, out of 118 attacks. To put it in perspective, about 240,000 people are injured by lightning worldwide each year, and an estimated 24,000 people are killed lightning strikes.

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